UNE - University of New England

09/26/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/26/2024 09:36

The Power of Connection: Stan Grant on Community, Forgivenes

The Power of Connection: Stan Grant on Community, Forgiveness, and Yindyamarra

Published 26 September 2024
When author, philosopher and communicator, Stan Grant, was asked to present the Frank Archibald Memorial lecture at the University of New England last week, his decision was immediate.
Image: Author, philosopher and communicator, Stan Grant, presented the 2024 Frank Archibald Memorial lecture at the University of New England.

"I didn't even have to think about it. It was the easiest thing in the world," Stan reflected. "The moment UNE asked me, I wanted to do it."

For the trailblazing Indigenous leader and Wiradjuri man, it wasn't just another speaking engagement-it was an opportunity to engage with a community on a personal, meaningful level and make them think.

"Frank Archibald was an educated man and he was committed to maintaining our cultural heritage. He understood that our belonging came from our connection to where we are from," Stan said.

"I have sought to look beyond identity binaries and connect to others through our shared humanity. To me we are sacred beings. Politics seeks to divide us and it has created a world of hate and anger. Justice can never be attained through politics only through the ability to see ourselves in others. I believe - as did Frank - that we hold space in this land for all people - only when all can belong can we be free."

His talk Yindyamarra: to live with dignity in a world of catastrophe, was more than just a lecture; it was a shared experience, a reflection on what it means to live with love and dignity.

"Yindyamarra is a Wiradjuri word of deep significance. It means respect, it means to be quiet, to be gentle, to be kind," he explained.

Stan believes that Yindyamarra is not only a cultural value but a philosophy for life and, that in a world marked by division and conflict, Yindyamarra provides a way forward-one grounded in patience, respect, and a gentle approach to others.

"I believe above all human beings require dignity and love. Our people have always held onto a deep sense of dignity despite our suffering. Our love comes from our connection to where we are."

"In our world today, humans have become expendable. There is a loss of trust in each other and the institutions of democracy. My role is to be accountable to who I am and where I am from. I side with the most vulnerable, the most afflicted. I ask hard questions of those in power. We must always ask what does a better society look like."

A significant part of Stan's message focused on forgiveness.

"I want to talk about forgiveness. I want to talk about love. I want to talk about history and truth," he said.

But Stan's approach to these themes was unconventional. He urged the audience not to weaponise history and truth, but rather to use it as pathways to reconciliation and understanding.

"Not as history and truth as weapons, but history and truth as a way of putting down the weapons and knowing each other."

The Frank Archibald Memorial Lecture was attended by a capacity audience of almost 500 people, alongside another 170 who joined in online.

The Lecture series has been running since 1986 and is dedicated to Frank Archibald, his family and Aboriginal people of the New England region. The Lecture is presented by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander speakers who are leading professionals in fields such as education, law, social justice, government and the arts.

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